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Geological Changes in Coastal Areas of Patagonia, Argentina, and Chile

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Global Change in Atlantic Coastal Patagonian Ecosystems

Part of the book series: Natural and Social Sciences of Patagonia ((NSSP))

Abstract

The Patagonian coast evolved in relation to different issues. An arid climate dominates to the north, while very humid conditions prevail to the south of the Pacific coast and at the Fuegian archipelago. Tidal effects increase from north to south at the Atlantic coast, while the Pacific coast is dominantly microtidal. Patagonia has been uplifting in relation to the Andes mountains; at the Atlantic coast, the uplift increases toward the south. Marine terraces originated by the Quaternary sea-level fluctuations that developed in response to the sediment availability. The cliffy Atlantic coast is receding at a rate between 0.3 and 1.4 m yr.−1. Reversals in the direction of river discharges changed the supply of sediment to the coast; dams constructed at the piedmonts also caused these sediment shortages. Gravel availability contributed to the armoring of beaches and the longshore growing of spits. In many places, these barriers are protecting marshes and tidal flats against the sea level rise.

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Acknowledgments

Two anonymous reviewers proposed wise improvements.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Geología de Costas y del Cuaternario (UNMDP-CIC). Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (CONICET-UNMDP), Mar del Plata, Argentina

    Federico Ignacio Isla

  2. Centro de Investigaciones Geológicas (CONICET-UNLP), La Plata, Argentina

    Manuel Fermín Isla

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  1. Federico Ignacio Isla
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Correspondence to Federico Ignacio Isla .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Estación de Fotobiología Playa Unión and CONICET, Rawson, Argentina

    E. Walter Helbling

  2. Universidad Nacional del Comahue and CONICET, San Antonio Oeste, Argentina

    Maite A. Narvarte

  3. Universidad Nacional del Comahue and CONICET, San Antonio Oeste, Argentina

    Raul A. González

  4. Estación de Fotobiología Playa Unión and CONICET, Rawson, Argentina

    Virginia E. Villafañe

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Isla, F.I., Isla, M.F. (2022). Geological Changes in Coastal Areas of Patagonia, Argentina, and Chile. In: Helbling, E.W., Narvarte, M.A., González, R.A., Villafañe, V.E. (eds) Global Change in Atlantic Coastal Patagonian Ecosystems. Natural and Social Sciences of Patagonia. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-86676-1_4

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